For years, the tally of Russian troops who died at war has been a state secret.

Now, President Vladimir Putin says his government won't reveal the number of military deaths during peacetime either.

A new presidential decree puts Russia's military losses "in peacetime during special operations" on the country's list of state secrets alongside "information disclosing losses in manpower in wartime”.

Critics of the Kremlin were quick to tie the move to the simmering conflict in Ukraine.